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Cash Is Just So 1987

If you’re planning to mug somebody, wait until he’s gone to the cash machine. A poll by Money finds 41 percent of consumers carry less cash than five years ago, thanks to credit cards, ATM cards, smart cards and checks. Just 10 percent carry more cash now than then. Meanwhile, 52 percent said ATMs, online bill paying and other high-tech services make it easier for them to manage their money; 29 percent said these capabilities make it harder. Despite the convenience of making payments online, 88 percent worry about the security of these transactions. It depends on what they’re buying, though. While 68 percent are “not comfortable paying bills such as car payments and mortgages online,”53 percent are comfortable buying airline tickets that way and 51 percent feel fine about buying concert/show tickets.